Akaiwa region, Okayama Prefecture, Chugoku, Japan

$17-19 for 300ml

Website

Forget about the burning, heated, high-alcoholic potion you got with your sushi at your neighbourhood joint. Premium sake has flooded the BC market – hop on this tsunami! 

Junmai is a quality level indicating only rice, water and special sake yeasts are used (no alcohol or flavouring agents added).  Ginjo is a distinguished class of premium sake, made from rice kernels which have been polished to 60% of their former size, with longer fermentation time building more complex flavours.  Bizen is a high quality sake – richer and creamier in the mouth, dry and robust, with herbal notes, perfumed floral notes, a touch of vanillan sweetness and a long, refreshingly spicy and nutty finish.  Kanpai!  

Don’t limit yourself to sushi. Try this sake with oysters on the half shell or poached quail. It should be served slightly chilled – not straight out of the fridge, and definitely not heated. 

Toshimori Shuzo (SAKE Brewery) has been in operation since 1868, and is located in an area
identified to be where the best quality Omache rice has been cropped since ancient times.   This brewery has been instrumental in the revival of this premium and special rice.

Rating:

—by Treve Ring, Online DRINK Editor

August 30, 2010

Rheinhessen, Germany

$17-22

Website

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting Underlet principals Fritz and Agnes Hasselbach. Together, over the past 25 years they have transformed their inherited family business from a virtually unheard of winery to one of the top Rheinhessen producers.  Their incredible, graceful, top tier Rieslings have reached the holy grail of 100 points in no less than 3 different vintages.  

FRITZ´s is their new foray into wines of quality AND quantity. Punchy label, catchy name, screwcap closure, choice juice. However, there are 10,000 cases of FRITZ’s made. Like their premium wines, the grapes are grown in a special part of the Rheinhessen called the Roter Hang, or Red Hill. These slate soils are red in colour, and the Iron Oxide deposits impart a lot of minerality to the wines.   

That minerality streaks through this wine, along with mild petrol, bright lemon, racy lime and white peach. Fresh and fruity, off dry, and expertly balanced with zippy acidity and a lengthy, juicy finish. This is a premium, modern wine in a great package at an even better price.  

When asked about the Stevin (screwcap) closure for this wine and the premium wines we tasted, Fritz and Agnes said that they wouldn’t use anything else. They want the Underlet fresh, vibrant fruit to last the test of time – and based on detailed and extensive German studies the wines under screwcap kept their brilliant flavour for years longer than bottles under cork. Yes, these wines still age and gain mature flavours, but it takes years, if not decades longer to achieve. They are convinced of the benefits of screwcap, that they bottle their 100-point wines with it. So you should be convinced too.

Rating:

—by Treve Ring, Online DRINK Editor

August 26, 2010

Okanagan Valley

$30 -$36

Website

There are some grapes that are easily transportable – Chardonnay, for example. The reason it’s found everywhere is because it can grow anywhere. And then there are grapes that are so intrinsically tied to one area, that’s it’s almost a surprise that it would be found elsewhere. Barbera – one of the main grapes of Piedmont, and the third most planted red grape of Italy, is one such grape. I guess no one told Sandhill master winemaker Howard Soon. 

Sure, there are smatterings of plantings of Barbera other places on the globe, notably in Argentina, Australia and California. Sandhill has the only commercial planting to date of Barbera in Canada. This vintage is blended with 9% Sangiovese, and aged in American and French oak for 18 months. Aromas of cocoa, cherry and sweet dusty plum entice to spicy flavours of leafy raspberry, bright black cherry and leather. Moderate tannins, medium body and a layered and lengthy finish just up the appeal. Note - only 27 cases were made (hence, Small Lots), so if you want to try this Piedmontese grape a la Okanagan, act quick.

Sandhill Winemaster Howard Soon is a legend in BC, rightfully honoured with Winery of the Year at the last Canadian Wine Awards.

Rating:

—by Treve Ring, Online DRINK Editor

August 23, 2010

Clone 52, Switchback Vineyard

Summerland, Okanagan Valley, BC

$23-27

Website

Haywire adj Informal

1. (of things) not functioning properly; disorganized (esp in the phrase go haywire)

2. (of people) erratic or crazy (alluding to the disorderly tangle of wire removed from bales of hay)

The tongue-in-chic-ly named Haywire is a brand new winery owned and operated by wine consulting and marketing maven Christine Coletta, and her builder husband Steve Lornie. Anyone who has worked in a winery (or can imagine the dizzying lifestyle change from BMW-driving urbanites to tractor-wielding winery owners) will recognize how apt a name like Haywire is for such an all-encompassing and unpredictable operation. The 2009 Pinot Gris is their inaugural release, produced under the direction of local industry giant, and internationally recognized palate David Scholefield. It was recently announced that winemaking icon Alberto Antonini has also agreed to act as consulting oenologist for British Columbia’s newest winery, lured to the region by long-time colleague and friend Scholefield. Haywire’s 2010 vintage will be made by Mark Wendenburg, recently of Sumac Ridge, and now with his own consulting company.

So they have the background, the experience and the advice. The result? A fresh, bright and crisp Pinot Gris that sings Okanagan. Very pale yellow in the glass, with a bright perfume of red apple, pear, clover honey and citrus. The palate is vibrant lemon, herbs and gooseberry, with a very tart and zesty long grapefruit finish. Briny shellfish, local goat cheese, summer salads would love to go Haywire here.

Near future plans include continuing small lots of Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris, along with a Pinot Noir sourced from Fritz Hollenbach’s Skaha vineyard in Penticton. Far future plans are to add a rosé and a sparkling wine. Be sure to follow the progress on their website – and don’t miss their laugh-out-loud ‘Ten Essential Steps to Ensure Success in the Wine Business” (www.haywirewinery.com/startingawinery)

Rating:

—By Treve Ring, Online DRINK Editor

August 19, 2010

$90-110

Monday is National Rum Day. Why can’t there be more holidays like this?

I had the good fortune of tasting this rum recently, and was completely blown away. If you think you know rum via Bacardi or Appleton’s, please try and seek out a sip of Zaya.  

This premium rum is a blend of several rums aged a minimum of 12 years in small oak barrels, and distilled no less than 5 times – resulting in exceptionally luxurious and smooth sipping rum. Rich chestnut colour, this has warm aromas of roasted almond, hazelnut, vanilla and aged wood. The full-bodied spirit’s silken palate has rich toffee, molasses, cocoa, raisin, orange oil and sweet spice notes carrying through to the end of the vanillin lengthy finish. Please, please don’t mix this with Coca-Cola!  This has the sophistication of fine brandy, and would make a find post-dinner guest. I’m not one to sip rum – but hey – it’s a National holiday, so who am I to argue? Civic duty calls!

Rating:

—By Treve Ring, Online DRINK Editor

August 16, 2010

Vancouver-based Online Advertising Sales Rep wanted. Part-time. Good commissions. Email with a cover letter and resume to eatpublisher@shaw.ca.

The 3rd Volume of PechaKucha Night Victoria will focus on yummy foodslow food, organic farms, community food groups, local food entrepreneurs, local drink entrepreneurs, local food stylists, local food photographers, urban food foresters, local chefs, local food enthusiasts, food designers - what a great way to celebrate the summer in Victoria!

August 12, 2010 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm at Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad Street  $10/$8students

PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.  It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of chit chat, it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds.

It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.

PechaKucha Night started as a simple idea for a one-off event, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham architecture as the first event held at their creative kitchen SuperDeluxe in Tokyo, in February 2003. Since then it has grown into an international movement.

Fall Baker's Market in South Vancouver is accepting applications. Become a vendor. http://bit.ly/vcekh. Oct. 2 - Dec. 11

Kildara Farm on the Saanich Penninsula is need of blackberry pickers. Pay is $10.00 per 12 pint flat. Call Brian at 250-655-3093 

The Beach Club Resort is proud to host Bubbles on the Beach; the Premier Sparkling Wine event for the Oceanside Area! Both the Main Event and Brunch are on Pacific Prime Steak & Chop Restaurant's beach front patio just steps away from Parksville Beach. With breath taking views, enjoy some of British Columbia's best sparkling wines from Sumac Ridge, Summer Hill, See Ya Later Ranch, Gray Monk Odyssey and more! The perfect opportunity to experience local sparking wines paired with a wide variety of fresh local seafood and more prepared by Chef Sean Norris. The Bubbles on the Beach main event is held Saturday Sept 4th, 2010 followed by the Bubbles Brunch on the Beach on Sunday Sept. 5th, 2010. Space is limited and last years event sold out early. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact Reservations: 1-800-760-2008

Event Tickets : Bubbles on the Beach - Main Event

Date:Saturday September 4, 2010

Tickets: $89.00 per person*

Bubbles on the Beach - Sunday Brunch

Date: Sunday September 5, 2010

Tickets: $26.00 per person* 

*Taxes not included

The Great Canadian Beer Festival has become one of the worlds' must-attend beer events. People from all over the globe seek out Victoria and the GCBF every year; the event attracts brewers from Australia, volunteers from England and beer lovers from all over. 

In support of C-Fax Santa's Anonymous, the GCBF will be held September 10th – 11th, 2010. (www.gcbf.com)

On Saturday, September 11th over 500 Chefs, Culinary Instructors, Cooks, Apprentices, Culinary Students, Fishers, Farmers and Suppliers from across the country are joining together to effect change by conversing and deliberating on the state of our water ways, their effect on marine life and what constructive steps their industry can build to help improve the health of our oceans.

From Vancouver Chefs Robert Clark and Vikram Vij to Toronto’s Jamie Kennedy and Michael Stadtländer; From the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Culinary Instructor Michael Allemeier and Quebec’s Pearson School of Culinary Arts, to the Food Networks’ Ned Bell; Director of George Brown College Chef School John Higgins to Michael Bonacini, Executive Chef and co-owner of five of Toronto’s top restaurants, chefs from every part of Vancouver Island and chefs from every Province and every Territory will be in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley for two days of workshops, panels discussions and...some pretty awesome food! The list of chefs participating is unprecedented - the guest speakers and workshops will be compelling, even evocative.

To visit the Canadian Chefs Congress website, click here. 

As municipal governments allow it, more and more people are discovering the joys of keeping their own backyard chickens. These quirky animals not only provide fresh eggs, they also can become pets and provide endless entertainment. In this one-day workshop, “chicken lady” Heather Havens will teach you the simple skills needed to acquire and care for your own backyard flock. Sun, September 12, 1pm – 5pm at Foxglove Farm, Salt Spring Island. (www.foxglovefarmbc.ca)